Two South of Boston Seafood Restaurants That Avoid Seafood Mislabeling

Woods Seafood, Plymouth, Mass. (photo by Eric)

A Boston Globe series entitled "Fishy Business" recently revealed alleged seafood mislabeling amongst many fish restaurants and sellers in the area. A Globe crew collected 134 seafood samples and sent them to a lab in Canada, which found 48 per cent of the seafood mislabeled.  For a quick "101," I recommend you check out a Boston Globe video here on seafood mislabeling, which explains the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of this troubling news. You can also find links to related articles on this page.

After reading about this reported seafood fraud, I thought it would be a good idea to contact local seafood restaurants and markets in hopes of finding some businesses not involved with seafood mislabeling. I think locating these type of establishments is important, as I know people that have read the articles are now suspicious of all local seafood restaurants and markets. Can't blame them -- how does one know who is on the up, and others that either knowingly or inadvertently mislabel their seafood?

I checked in with two of my favorite locally-owned and operated seafood places, Pier 18 Seafood and Grille in East Bridgewater, Mass., and Woods Seafood in Plymouth, Mass. For full disclosure, I have no affiliation, including vested interest, in either of these two seafood spots. I think the key takeaway with both of these restaurants is that they have the confidence to say that they welcome testing.

Peter Soroka, owner of Pier 18, took an immediate stand-up position and said, "We weren't tested (by the Globe), but welcome any testing. We don't have that issue (with seafood mislabeling). We're very honest and deal with reputable fish dealers. We don't lead people wrong."

Saroka cites the fish in a fish and chips meal as a classic example of taking a short cut, with many restaurants using cheaper pollock instead of haddock or cod -- something Pier 18 will never do.

"They (other businesses) get away with it, it's much cheaper,"said Saroka. "We don't do that here."

Jay Kimball, who bought Woods Seafood at Plymouth Harbor 23 years ago, prides his restaurant on being reputable.  The presence of a public fish market on the premises authenticates the restaurant seafood, says Kimball.

"If you came in off the street and saw on the menu our swordfish, scallops, bluefish, or salmon and asked staff where it came from, they could point to our fish market where you can see everything clearly labeled. We're transparent in everything we do."

A virtual walking encyclopedia of his inventory and where it comes from, Kimball prides himself of knowing his New England seafood suppliers, as well as those from outside the area. As examples, his scallops come from New Bedford,  farmed raised salmon from Canada, wild sockeye salmon from Alaska, crab meat from Maine, and swordfish from the outer banks of Nova Scotia and Maine.

Kimball said he wasn't contacted by the Globe, but would always welcome any kind of official testing. Regarding his business, Kimball says that Woods Seafood receives routine inspections from the local Board of Health and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That's it for now! Please check back in often as I will be writing more in the next month or two about Boston area seafood restaurants and markets that say that they don't have an issue with seafood fraud -- and welcome any testing.

Editor's note: restaurants and fish markets in the Boston area, please write us about your business that doesn't mislabel seafood! We will consider calling you back for an interview. Thanks!